- Primary and secondary schools: This is equivalent to 10+2 education in Pakistan. Certification at the end of schooling is by continuous assessment within the schools or by a combination of internal assessment and public examinations. These procedures form the basis for qualification for entry to universities or other tertiary institutions.
- Foundation Studies: Foundation studies give international students the knowledge and skills for a smooth transition from learning in their home country to undergraduate studies in Australian universities. Foundation Studies are usually one year in duration and students are assessed and examined by their lecturers. Foundation studies are divided into various streams like arts and science studies. The common feature of foundation studies is that a university allocates a provisional place in an undergraduate course for a student who achieves the prescribed grades.
- English Language Schools (ELICOS): These are specifically for people who come to Australia to study English either for educational purposes or for other reasons. The Australian system of English language training is known as English Language Intensive Courses for Overseas Students (ELICOS). There are a range of courses including General English; English for Special Purposes; Vocation Courses; and Examination Preparation. The starting dates of courses are fairly frequent and they generally run from 4 to 10 weeks. Many universities and TAFE institutes have ELICOS centres attached to their campuses.
- Vocational Education and Training Institutes: Vocational education and training (VET) gives students practical skills for their careers.
The VET sector is divided into two sections: a nationally recognised government system of Technical and Further Education (TAFE); and private providers. TAFE is the largest provider of tertiary education courses in Australia with about 250 institutes and over a million students including about 41,000 international students.
The awards in VET sector are: certificates, advanced certificates, associate diplomas, and diplomas. Studying at TAFE level is also a way of gaining entry - termed a pathway - to Australia's universities.
Most TAFE institutes have arrangements with specific universities, enabling students to gain credit for a portion of their study undertaken at TAFE. The VET courses include computing, design, pilot training, business management, hospitality and tourism and many other courses.
- Universities (higher education): There are several public and private universities in Australia which offer both undergraduate and postgraduate programmes. The most popular courses of study for international students have been in the fields of Business Administration and Economics, followed by Science, then Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences.
University study can lead to the following awards: Undergraduate - Bachelor's Degrees, Bachelor's Degrees (with Honours), Undergraduate Diplomas, Associate Diplomas; Postgraduate - Doctoral Degrees, Master's Degrees, Graduate Diplomas, and Graduate Certificates.
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Type of Programmes and Qualifications
Undergraduate
- Bachelor's Degree
- Bachelor's Degree (with Honours)
- Undergraduate Diplomas
- Associate Diplomas
Postgraduate
- Master's Degrees
- Doctoral Degrees
- Graduate Diplomas
- Graduate Certificates
Undergraduate Application Procedure:
a. Application Forms
Send enquiries at least 12 months before the proposed date of admission. There are two ways to get application forms.
- Requesting Application Forms via e-mail: You can request application forms from the universities website. Most universities have a form on their website which can be completed online to request application material.
- Downloading from the university website: Many universities have a downloadable and ready to print versions of their application forms on the net. These can be used for applying just as regular forms.
- Getting applications from University Representatives: You can also get the application forms from many authorized representatives of Australian Universities in your country.
b. Academic Records
- Standard X Mark sheet
- Standard XII Mark sheet
- Standard XI Mark sheet: Only for those students who are applying for fast track foundation programme immediately after completion of Std. XI exam / those who have just completed the standard XII public exam and do not have the marks which will be available only in June.
c. English Language Proficiency
IELTS : For most courses and universities, International students are required to take IELTS (International English Language Test) which is regularly administered by the British Council. Some universities may accept TOEFL as an alternative.
TOEFL: This test is conducted by ETS for International students applying to Universities abroad. This is accepted by most Australian universities
d. Letter from Institution:
Some Universities may waive IELTS/TOEFL if you can get a letter from institution that you have last studied in mentioning that you have been studying in English medium throughout and they are convinced that you are proficient in English.
Important: Please note that IELTS is compulsory for Australian visa for students of many countries like India, Pakistan and Bangladesh.
e. Statement of Purpose:
The personal essays, and/or statement of purpose, also play a very important role in the process of evaluating your application for both admission as well as financial aid because it gives the faculty assessing your application their most significant impression of you as an individual.
A personal statement should include reasons for choosing this particular course, your area of interest, the suitability of your education and experiential background for this course and your personal and present future goals.
Postgraduate Application Procedure
a. Application Forms
- Requesting Application Forms via email : You can request application forms from the universities website. Most universities have a form on their website which can be completed online to request application material.
- Downloading from the university website : Many universities have a downloadable and ready to print versions of their application forms on the net. These can be used for applying just as regular forms.
- Getting applications from University Representatives: You can also get the application forms from many authorized representatives of Australian Universities in your country.
b. Eligibility
Most Australian universities accept the graduation system of three years for entry into most postgraduate courses. A Pakistan bachelor degree like B.A., B.Com. or B.Sc. (ordinary) is equivalent to an Australian Bachelor's (Ordinary) Degree.
However, some courses and universities may require a qualification equivalent to Australian Bachelor's (Honours) Degree, which requires either a honours graduation degree like B.A. (H), B.Com (H) etc or 16 years of formal education, which would mean another year after graduation or a four year degree course like B.E., B.Tech and other such courses.
For most Universities, a good first degree from a leading university in Pakistan or its equivalent is essential.
c. Academic Records
Full details of your education including your course subjects and grades are required in the applications. Transcripts or official records of your previous academic qualifications are crucial for your application.
- Standard X Mark sheet
- Standard XII Mark sheet
- Bachelor's Degree / Provisional Certificate with mark lists
Students applying for admission are required to submit an official transcript from each college or university that they have attended after secondary school with complete details of the subjects, credits involved and other details like correspondence courses, diplomas etc.
If the originals are not in English, copies and a good English translation must be enclosed. Please ensure all the copies of these documents are attested.
d. Standardised Tests
IELTS : For most courses and universities, International students are required to take IELTS (International English Language Test) which is regularly administered by the British Council. Some universities may accept TOEFL as an alternative.
TOEFL: This test is conducted by ETS for International students applying to Universities abroad. This is accepted by most Australian universities
Some Universities may waive IELTS/TOEFL if you can get a letter from institution that you have last studied in mentioning that you have been studying in English medium throughout and they are convinced that you are proficient in English.
GMAT : For most management courses, International students are required to take GMAT (Graduate Management Admission Test).
Important Note:
1) IELTS is compulsory for Australian visa for residents of many countries like India, Pakistan and Bangladesh.
2) Most Australian Universities do not require the GRE for admission to post graduate courses. However it is advisable to enclose a copy of your score sheet if you have done well in the test
e. Work History
A number of professional and vocational courses require relevant work experience. For instance, many MBAs or master’s courses in information studies require at least a couple of years’ work experience. Most Australian universities are pretty strict about this.
A detailed Résumé is an important part of your application. It should include all information of professional work experience along with the details like positions held, achievements and range of work.
f. Letter of Recommendation
Letters of reference or recommendation letters play a very important part in your admission especially in courses that earn you a master’s or doctoral degree. A recommendation letter is a signed statement from a person who knows you well professionally or has taught you in a subject that is related to the course you are applying to. It should list your positive and negative qualities, strengths and other such information.
The author or teacher must indicate his position, how long he/she has known the applicant and in what capacity. He/she should briefly discuss the need, importance and usefulness of the study the applicant proposes to undertake. Authors are usually asked to rank applicants in their letters of recommendation, which helps admission officers to interpret the academic credentials of foreign students. Students should obtain letters of recommendation (often on the prescribed forms sent by the institutions) from teachers who know them as a person as well as a student. You may like to request your author to give concrete examples that may show your qualities and help your case.
Many universities have their own format and questions that have to be answered by the person who is giving the letter of recommendation on your behalf. Letters, which do not give enough information, can jeopardize a candidate’s chances of selection.
g. Statement of Purpose
The personal essays, and/or statement of purpose, play a very important role in the process of evaluating your application for both admission as well as financial aid because it gives the faculty assessing your application their most significant impression of you as an individual. This section is the key to distinguish your application from other suitable candidates and a chance to market yourself.
A personal statement should include your reasons for choosing a particular course, the suitability of your education and experience for the chosen course, your personal interests and career goals.
Some courses like Business school courses will have their own essay questions and format. Others may ask for a résumé or reasons for applying to that particular course.
h. Research Proposal
In addition to the above requirements, students applying for a postgraduate research programme must also submit the following documents:
- Detailed research proposal
- Abstracts, research publications etc
The admission committee may also require special recommendation letters from professors of the academic institution where you last studied.
Australian Student Visa
Your pre-visa application will be assessed on the basis of the following criteria:
- Evidence of Enrolment
One of the important requirements for a student visa application is that you must be accepted for enrolment, to undertake a course, by a Government registered Australian education institution. This is verified by the advice of acceptance from the Australian institution (commonly known as Letter of Offer), which is issued to a student who has been offered enrolment in a full-time course. You should not pay any part of the course tuition fee prior to the outcome of the PVA.
- Financial Ability
Sponsor/s will have to provide documentary evidence of having cash assets (immediately encashable assets like savings and fixed deposits in banks) held for at least 6 months prior to the pre-visa application date. For school applicants, funds need to be held for 3 months prior to the pre-visa application date.
a. Who can be a Sponsor?
Sponsor/s can be the applicant, parents, grandparents, or spouse only ( relatives like brother /sister /uncle /aunt /cousin / family friend are not acceptable). School applicants have no restriction on sponsor/s.
b. How much funds have to be shown?
- For Master's and Doctorate Courses:
Sponsors must provide evidence of cash assets for the first year tuition fee (as on the letter of offer) and living expenses (assumed at A$ 12000 p.a.) and access to additional funds (from acceptable sources) to meet the cost of the remainder of study and stay in Australia.
Commercial loans from Banks and government loans are acceptable. In case the applicant holds a partial scholarship from an Australian institution or an institution in Pakistan (e.g. Educational Trusts), funds to cover the remaining costs must be provided as prescribed above.
Private corporate sponsorship is acceptable subject to certain conditions. However if the company is a family owned business and if one/both parents are directors/partners, it is treated as a parent sponsor.
- Students with Dependants (Spouse/Children):
Costs could be expected to increase by at least 35% if the student has a spouse, a further 20% (plus A$ 8000 p.a. for school fees if the child is 5 years or older) if the student has one child, a further 15% for each additional child plus school fees. The above amounts apply irrespective of whether they will accompany the applicant. Individual return travel costs need to be taken at A $ 1500 approx.
- For Vocational Education and Training (VET), TAFE, Higher Education and School courses:Sponsors must provide evidence of cash assets covering tuition fee and living expenses of the entire duration of the proposed and pre-requisite course (including foundation/ELICOS/Bridging programme that precedes the main course).
- English Proficiency
All students have to demonstrate a minimum level of proficiency, measured by an IELTS overall band score of at least 6.0, except those enrolling for a Diploma course (VET) in which case 5.5 is acceptable. Please note that TOEFL score is not acceptable and IELTS is compulsory even if the student has studied in English medium institutions throughout his/her academic career.
- Potential to breach visa conditions
This is an assessment of an individual's current circumstances done by the visa officer by reviewing for example, the situation in your home country - your personal and financial commitments that may prompt you to return to your home country.
- Other Relevant Matters
These include:
- Immigration links with Australia
- Usefulness of course for career development
- Satisfactory completion of year 12 / relevant undergraduate degree or equivalent
- Strong links have to be established between past academic/work background and study goals
- Guardianship arrangements (if applicant is under 18 at the time of PVA application)
- Further Processing
If you are advised that you meet the PVA requirements, you will be asked to undergo further processing. This includes payment of course tuition fee to the Australian educational institution and a medical examination. It is essential that the student and the accompanying dependent(s) meet the Australian Health requirements before a visa may be granted. This involves a medical check and an x-ray for applicants over 16. Applicants will need to present an original valid passport to identify themselves to the Doctor and Radiologist. In some cases medical results will be referred to Australia and as this process takes 3 - 4 weeks, applicants will need to allow additional time. Usually only medicals where the doctor or radiologist has detected an abnormality will be referred to Australia. Applicants need to take into account postage or courier times also.
- Total processing time
As a general rule, applicants should allow a four (4) to six (6) week timeframe for processing of applications.
Factors that may delay this processing time include:
• Medical referral to Australia and the need for any subsequent medical tests;
• Document verification including educational documents, employment references and bank statements; and
• Applications which are incomplete and require the visa office to make contact with the applicant or the applicant’s agent.
- Health Insurance
It is compulsory for all international students to have Overseas Student Health Cover (OSHC) for themselves and their dependents, where applicable, for the duration of the visa. The premium for OSHC is only to be paid once the PVA requirements have been met. The current premiums for OSHC are AUD274 for a single person and AIJD54S for a whole family.
- Re-entry into Australia
All Student Visas have a multiple entry facility for the full period of the visa. Students who plan to travel out of, and return to, Australia at any time during their course is advised to check that their visa is valid for return to Australia.
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